Hello,

I'am going too juse a Mazda MX5 (miata) for building my locost, is there somone else that is going that way????
I'am thinking of jusing the compleet rear suspensionbox (IRS) and will modify the chassis, is there enyone that have done that and could send me some pictures??

Thanks Daniel

i dont know many on this site that have gone that route, try the yahoo groups and go for the locost_oz group or the US locost group. they should help you but do stay posting here, im doing an engine gearbox format thats not done much but ive got loads of help from this site.

the american group should be a good help for the mx5 - they will call it the miata of course.

in the UK even a G reg one costs 4 - 5k - its suprising to find one that can be bought for a donor at cheap money.


atb


steve

A guy called Ben Chapman in Melbourne, Australia has done exactly what you are suggesting. He has a website, use "ben+chapman+mx5" on Google and you should find his site easily.

I am doing something similar. I've got an MX5 engine, gearbox and ECU and I am fitting these into a Stuart Taylor Motorsport chassis.

Just out of curiosity, how much does that lot cost, and what power do you get out?
A modern solution?

click here for the ben chapmans mx5 locost

Mark,

I got the engine/gearbox and ECU for £600 off a guy on the internet and Stuart Taylor prices are on the website.

According to Mazda I should get around 110-115bhp and there are plenty of forced induction kits (super and turbo chargers) for extra oommpphh should I need it!

Because the donor car is also a relatively lightweight sportscar with front engine and rear wheel drive the whole unit is designed to suit cars like ours and has better spaced gear ratios etc...

Biggest problem so far has been getting the gearbox far enough into the transmission tunnel. The MX5 uses a steel frame chassis as well as the body/monocoque. The gearbox has large cast blocks to connect the gearbox to the 'powerplant frame' - Mazda speak for the steel frame/chassis. I have had to cut these off, hard work but I must have saved 2kg of weight

Justin